Flush receptacle



June 22 1926.

P. HARTMAN N FLUSH RECEPTACLE Filed Sept. 30,

1922 3 Sheets-Sheet l .INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

June 22 1926. I

P. HARTMANN FLUSH RECEPTACLE Filed Sept. 50, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

June 22 1926.

P. HARTMANN FLUSHRECEPTACLE Filed sept- 30, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR. M i/ V .4 TTORNEKS,

Patented June 22, 1926. I

UNITED STATES PATENT" OFF-ICE.-

..PAUL m Tmn, o BRoox Yn, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, ZBY nIREoT AND 'mEsNE AS-sIeNmENTs, or ONE-HALFTO CHARLES L. EIDLITZ, F NEW YORK, N. Y., AND ONE-HALF To METROPOLITAN ELECTRIC MFG. 00., A CORPORATION on NEW JERsEY.

FLUSH BECEPTACLE.

Application filed September so, 1922. Serial No. 551,487.

' While certain of the features of my invention are applicable tovarious types of electrical contact devices including rotaryand snapswitches and various forms of recept-acles, "my invention in general hasespecial application to so-called flush-or base board receptacles whichare set flush into the wall and provide outlets for the connection ofelectrical appliances.

An object of my inventlon and reduce *the manufacturing cost of suchreceptacles. Embodiments of my invention have materially fewer parts andare much more easily assembled than any other receptacle' of which Ihaveknowledge.

with the stationary contact member and particularly its means of supportin the receptacle and its electrical connection with' the binding post.In 'brief,'I employ terminal members, [that is, members attachedthroughthe binding posts to the main leads, which automatically interlock withthe contact members, preferably by a spring or snap action, wherebythrough the simple operation of pressing thecontact members in placethey secured in the receptacle. More particularlyas applied toflushreceptacles the contact member is disposed edgewise in a relativelynarrow recess in the receptacle and has an integral spring leaf bentback from its front edge, while-"the terminal memberyextends through apassage is to simplify are connected to lth leads and leaves arepreferably somewhat higher than the one with which the binding postterminal member engages, and the recess is made somewhatdeeper oppositethe slots for the plug blades, thereby forming what I term contactchambers to accomodate these spring terminals. The slots for the plugblades enter the contact chambers at the side thereof on which are thespring contact leaves,

thereby facilitating the admission of the blades into the slots whileassuring good contact through the lateral resilient pressure of theleaves against the blades. For a receptacle having both parallelandtandem slots, each of the bus contact mem- One feature of my inventionhas to do hers is provided with two spring contact leaves for the plugblades bent back on,-

vallel slots and the other in register. with one in the receptacle bodyand has its inner end bent and engaging underneath thefree edge of the,spring leaf. The terminal member also has a part engaging the receptaclebody. so as to be held in place solong as the spring I leaf exerts itsresilient pressure on the inner end of the terminal'member. The bindingpost preferably screws into the outer end of the terminal member and-maycooperate to holdthe parts in place;

My invention 1s. applicable for either single or duplex receptacles, andfor: both the so-called parallel and tandem slots for the attachmentplug blades; The contact terminals for the plug blades :are also pref--erably integral with the metallic strip which serves as the bus contactmember, beingspring contact leaves formed by bending back one o'r moreextensions on the; inner edgethereof. Ihese contact terminals or of thetandem slots. If the slots are at an angle to each other in the face :ofthe receptacle, the terminal leaves are disposed at a correspondingangle. If the bus member is designed for asingle receptacle the contactspring leaf or leaves are on one end only, while for a duplex receptaclethey are duplicated on the other .end.

A noteworthy feature of my invention is the fact that the metallic stripforming the bus or stationary contact member is so out that the grain ofthe "metal runs transversely of the strip, and since the extensionsformingthe spring leaves are on one longitudinal edge, the bends of theleaves are all across the grain,'and hence they will not break' from thecontinual flexing to which they are subjected by insertion ofthe plugblades. I p

My invention includes manyrother'fea tures as will appear, from thefollowing de I-shall now describe the illusscription. trated embodimentsof my invention and shall thereafter point out. my invention in claims:.I Fig. 1 is a face or plan view'of the insulating body member of 'aduplex-receptacle embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a rear face or plan ofthe same;

Fig. 4: is a longitudinal section taken on line 44 of rlligfures l and 3of the complete assembled] receptacle as itis disposed inthewall; I

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the parts shown in Figure 4, taken online 5-5 of Figure 4, and showing the contact plug inserted. v

Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the body .member shown in Figures 1, 2and 3 taken on line 6-6 0f Figure 1, and also showing the contact andterminal elements inserted in place; I

Fig. 7 is an end view of the body member shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3;

Figs. 8 and 9 are details in side elevation and in end view,respectively, of one of the bus contact members used in this type ofreceptacle;

Figs. 10 and 11 are details in side and plan views, respectively, of oneof the two angle members employed as the terminal members connecting thebinding posts to the bus contact members Fig. 12.is a front face or planview of another type of body member in which my invention may beembodied;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 14 is a rear face or planView of the same;

Fig. 15 is a transverse section of the same .on line 15-15 of Figure 12;r

Fig. 16 is a longitudinal section of the same on line 1616ofFigures 12and 14,

with the bus contact members and the angle terminal member in place;

Fig. 17 is a transverse section of the body member on line l717 ofFigure 12;

Figs. 18, 19 and 20 are details in plan, side elevation, and end views,respectively,

on an enlarged scale, of the bus contact mem-' ber employed in this formof body member;

Fig. 21 is a front face or plan view of a body member for a single typeof recepta:

. ole in which my invention may be embodied;

22 is a sideelevation of the same; Fig. 23.is a rear face or plan Viewofjthe same;

Fig. 24 is a longitudinal section of the complete receptacle on line2424 of Figure Fig. 25 is a transverse section of the same Fig. 26 is atransverse section on line 26 26 on Figure 21, of the completereceptacle with the contact plug member inserted;

Figs. 27 and 28 are details in side elevation and end view,respectively, of the bus contact member employed in this single type ofreceptacle;

Fig. 29 is a front face or plan view of another type of duplex bodymember in which my invention may be embodied.

Fig. 30 is a transverse section on the broken line 30-30 of Figure 29;

Fig. 31 is a detail in plan, of one of the bus contact members in thislatter typelof receptacle.

While the description'of my invention will '10 and 11, respectively.

be confined to flush receptacles, it will be understood that so far asmy invention is" applicable to other electrical contact devices; it isnot limited to flush receptacles.

The receptacle shown in Figures 1 to 11, inclusive, is a duplexreceptacle, that is, one provided with slots for two outlet plugs, andthe slots in this form of receptacle accommodate only plugs havingparallel blades. The slots are designed for so-called selective polarityplugs, that is, plugs having one of their blades wider than the other.

The body member 1 is preferably molded and is composed of some suitableinsulating material, such as porcelain. It is a unitary and generallyoblong member with rounded corners and has its front face shaped toreceive a cover plate 2. the face, 1 and 1 in which the slots 3, 4, 5and 6 for the plug blades are formed, are generally circular in outlinewith flattened sides and raised above the rest of the face,

l are flush with the face of the cover plate when the latter is inplace. An intermediate neck portion 1 on the front face is provided witha square transverse hole 1 in which is a suitable. assembly pin 7 havinga threaded opening in its upper end in which a'screw engages and holdsthe cover plate in place. This assembly pin projects through the lowerend, as shown in Figures 2 and 4:, for the purpose of being riveted orotherwise caught over the strap in the final assembly of the receptacle,as appears in Figure 4 and will be hereinafter described. The assemblypin 7 is shouldered intermediate ofits length so as to limit its inwardmovement in theopening 1.. On each side of the neckportion 1 the face issubstantially cut down to provide the portions 1* and 1 which areprovided with holes 8 and 9 for binding posts.

At their inner ends, these surface portions 1 and 1 terminate in slotsor passages On each side the body member is provided adjacent theportions 1 and '1. with a vertical .recess, as shown, to accommodate themain lead wires.

In its rear face the body member 1 is provided with two relativelynarrow longitudinal recesses 12 and 13, the central portion of whichrecesses connects with the passages 10 and 11, respectively, while theend portions are made somewhat deeper than the intermediate portion toprovide contact chambers which connec't with the slots 3, 4, 5 and 6. p

In each of the slots 12 and 13 is disposed a bus contact member, such asshown in detailin. Figures 8 and 9. This is composed of suitableresilient conductive material; such as phosphor bronze, and is a thinstrip 14., provided along its upper edge The two portions oftact leaf 16is nearerthe top edge of the. strip 14 than is that of the leaves 15 and17. In other words, the leaves 15 and 17 are somewhat higher than is theintermediate leaf 16, so that in side elevation the member presents anapproximation to a U-shape. Due to this fact, when the members 14 areinserted in the slots 12 and 13, the intermediate bend 1,6 rests againstthe bottom of the shallow portion of the slot, while the higher contactterminals 15 and 17 extend up into the contact chambers or deeperportions of the recesses and register with the slots 3, 4, 5 and 6, asshown in Figure 4. The bus members are disposed edgewise in the slotsagainst the inner faces thereof with the spring contact leaves on theirouter sides.

shown'in the slots 5 and 6 in elect-rical'con The slots 3. 4, 5 and 6for the plug blades open into the contact chambers on the outer sides'thereof so that the plug blades engage the outer faces of the contactspring leaves. This is illustrated in Figure 5 where the plugblades 18and 19 of the plug 20 are tact with the spring leaves 17.

To secure the bus contact members in their respective recesses as wellas to electrically connect them tothe lead wires, angle members 21 suchas shown'in detail in Figures 10 and 11, are used. One arm of theseangle members lies upon thefaces 1 and 1 and is provided with ascrewthreaded opening into which the binding post engages. This is shownparticularly in Figure 6 where the binding post 22 is in place in theouter arm of the angle mem her 21 and is received in the hole 8 in thebody member. The lead wire 23 is clamped by th2e binding post againstthe angle memoer 1. The other arm of the angle members 21 extend intothe slots 10 and -11, respectively, as shown in Figures 4 and6. .Atitsinner end this arm of the angle members is bent inwardly to form ahook-member, as shown, and this hook member engages underneath thefreeedge of'the contact leaf 16. In

' assembling the parts, it will, therefore, be

seen thatit is only necessary to get the angle member in place with thebinding post in the hole 8 or 9 and the inner arm disposed in the slot10 or 11, and then to press the bus contact member upward until thespring leaf 16 snaps over the bent inner By reason of the resilientpressure of the spring leaf 16 against the inner arm of the angle member21, both members place.

The device is completed by placing a strip of fibre or other insulatingmaterial 24 in the shallow recess 25 provided in the rear face of thebody, thereby covering both slots 12 and 13, and then securing in, placea metal strap 26 which passes around three sides of the body in suitablegrooves cut therefrom and has outwardly turned ears which are providedwith holes for screws for attachment to the wall in the usual way. Theassembly pin 7 passes through a? hole in both the fibre strip 24 and thestrap 26 and then has its outer end riveted over, as shown in Figure 4,to secure all of the parts are held in together, or if desired, theprojecting end.

of the pin 7 may bescrew-threaded and a suitable nut may be screwedthereon.

In Figures 21 to' 28 there is shown a single receptacle, that is, oneproviding an outlet for one attachment plug only. There are two pairs ofslots in thefront face of the receptacle, the slots 27 and 28 being onepair for parallel blades, and the slots 29'and 30 being the other pairarranged for tandem blades. The receptacle body '31 is molded ofporcelain or other suitable insulatingmaterial and is provided in itsrear face with the two longitudinal recesses 32 and 33. In the outer endof the recess 32 opens a slot '34 from one corner of the front face, andin the outerend of the slot 33 opens a slot from the diagonally oppositecorner of the front face. Adjacent the slots 34 and 35 are the holes 36and 37 for the binding posts, the corner portions which include thebinding post holes and the slots 34 and 35 being depressed below thegeneral level of the front face ofthe receptacle, as are thecorresponding portions 1 and 1 in the construction shown in Figure 1..The slots 28 and 29 also open into the recess 33 and the slotsr27 and 30also open into the recess 32. The three slots in each recess arestaggered. as shown, thus providing the proper disposition for the fourplug blade slots. Also the oortion of the recesses into which the plugblade slots enter is deeper. than is the portion into'which the slots 34and 35 open, thus providing th'econtact chambers, as in the precedingconstruction.

The bus contact member used with this single receptacle is shown indetail in Figures- 27 and 28, and consists of a thin strip 38oF suitablemetal with the spring leaf 39 at one end for engagement with the anglemember 21, and the two contact spring leaves 40 and 41, one bent down onone side of the strip and the other on theother side of the strip.Byureason of this construction, when the bus member is inserted in theslot 32,

llll

p as described and claimed in my 1 and 54 in the rear'face of 7 leaf 60will register with the slot the 'contact leaf 39 is in register with theslot 34 in position to be engaged by the inner end of the angle member21, as shown in Figures 24 and 25. Also the spring leaf 40 is inregister with the slot 30 and the spring leaf 41 is in register with theslot 27. Similarly when the bus member is inserted in the slot 33 thespring leaf 39 is in register with the slot 35, while the spring leaf 40is in register with the slot 29, and the spring leaf 41 is in registerwith the slot 28. The plug 20 with parallel blades is shown in positionin Figure 26,the blade 18 engaging with spring contact leaf 41 of theone bus member and the blade 19 engaging with spring contact leaf 41 ofthe other bus memher. The bottom of the recesses are closed by asuitable insulating strip 42 of fibre or other suitable material and thestrap 43 passes around the member on three sides in the usual way. Thisstrap automatically locks to the body. member through struck-out springtongues or clips which catch over the bottom of two grooves in the endWalls, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 24, and co-pendingapplication Serial No. 591,488 filed September 30, 1922.

In Figures 12 to 20 is shown a duplex re ceptacle in each end of whichare the two pairs of slots to accommodate either parallel or tandemblades" on an attachment plug. The slots 44 and 45 on the one end, andthe slots 46 and 47 on the other end are for the tandem blades, whilethe slots 48 and 49 on the one end and the slots 50 and 51 on the otherend are for parallel blades. With this exception, the face and sha e ofthe receptacle body 52 are. substantial y like those of the receptacleshown in Figure 1. The recesses 53 the receptacle are shaped in thisinstance to take the bus mem her which is shown in detail in Figures 18,19 and 20. In this case the ends of the strip are turned at right anglesto the general line of the strip, sitely turned spring leaves 56 and 57,While the other end has similarly oppositely turned spring leaves 58 and59. Intermediate of its ends, the bus member is provided with the springleaf which will register with the slots 10 and 11 when disposed in therespective grooves 54 and 53.

. It will be seen that when the bus member 55 is disposed in the slot54, the spring leaf contact 58 will be in the contact chamberregistering with the slot 45, while the leaf 5.) will register with theslot 49, the leaf 56 will register with the slot 47 and the leaf 57 willregister with the slot 51. Similarly when the bus member is in therecess 53, the 11, the leaf 57 will register with the slot 48,-the leaf56 Wlll register with the slot 44, the leaf 59 will register with theslot 50 and the leaf 58 will and one end has the opporegister with theslot 46. The bus members will be held in place and connected to thebinding post and lead wires throu h the angle terminal members 21 asdescri d in connection with the construction of Figures 1 to 11 and asindicated in Figure 16.

In Figures 29 to 31 is shown a construction of a duplex receptaclehaving both parallel and tandem slots differing somewhat from theconstruction shown in Figures 12 to 20, inclusive. In this case theparallel slots merge into and are disposed at an angle to the tandemslots. The parallel slots on the one end are numbered 61 and 62, and onthe other end are numbered 63 and 64, while the tandem slots arenumbered 65 and 66 on the one end and are numbered 67 and .68 on theother end. It will be seen that the line of the tandem slots is at anangle of about 37 to the line of the parallel slots. The recesses in therear face of the receptacle 69 are shaped to take a bus member like thatshown in Figure 31. This bus member 70 has the intermediate spring leaf71 for registering with the slots 10 and 11 and has the spring leaves 72and 73 for registering with the parallel slots, while the spring leaves74 and 75 are bent at an angle of about 45 to the line of the bus memberin order to reg-,

ister with the tandem slots. It will be seen that if this bus member 70is disposed'in the upper recess, the spring leaves 72 and 73 willregister with the slots 61 and 62, while the spring leaves 74 and 75will register with the slots 65 and 67. To place the bus member in thelower recess, it is turned end for end and it will be seen that thespring leaves 75 and 74 will register with the recesses 66 and 68, whilethe spring leaves 73 and 72 w1ll register with the slots 62 and 64.

It will be noted that in all of the illustrated duplex constructions theselective polarity parallel slots are reversed in their positions in thetwo ends of the receptacle, that is, Where the wide slot, 'e. g.,communicates with one bus contact member on one end, it communicateswith the other one on the other end. The advantages of this arrangementare pointed out and the construction is claimed in my co endingapplication Serial N o. 591,489 filed eptember 30, 1922.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in theconstructions shown in the drawings and above particularly dlB'. scribedWithin the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A flush receptacle comprising a body of insulating materialinteriorly recessed and provided with both a slot for a plug blade andwith a passage communicating with the recess, a contact bus member inthe recess having a contact terminal re istering with the slot, and aterminal mem r extending through the passage and resiliently interlooking with the contact bus member and having a part coacting with thebody to hold the contact'bus member and terminal member in place.

2. A flush receptacle comprising a body of insulating materialinteriorly recessed and provided with both a slot for a plug blade andwith a passage communicating with the recess, a contact bus member inthe recess having a contact terminal registering with the slot, and aunitary terminal angle memher having one arm extending through thepassage and resiliently interlocking with the contact bus member and theother arm coactin with the body to hold the contact bus member and anglemember in place.

3. A flush receptacle comprising a body of insulating material having inits rear face an elongated recess and both a slot for a plug blade and apassage leading from the front face to the recess, a fiat contact busmember disposed in the recess .in a plane parallel with the slot, abinding post, and a conductive angle member having one arm exposed andengaging the binding post and the other arm extending through thepassage and resiliently interlocking with the contact bus member.

4. A flush receptacle comprising a body of insulating material having inits rear face an elongated recess and both a slot for a plug blade and apassage leading from the front face to the recess, a flat contact busmember disposed in the recess in a plane parallel with the slot andhaving two resilient outstanding contact terminals, one registering withthe slot and the other with the passage, a binding post, and aconductive angle member having one arm exposed and engaging the bindingpost and the other arm extendin through the assage and booking with ltsinner end un erneath the adjacent contact terminal.

5. A flush receptacle comprising a body of insulating material having inits rear face an elongated recess and both a slot for a plug blade and apassage leading from the front face to the recess, a flat metalliccontact bus member disposed edgewise in the recess in a plane parallelwith the slot and having a reversely bent contact spring leaf integralwith the inner edge of the bus member and registerin with the slot, a

binding post, and a con uctive member ex-' tending through the passageand mechanically engaging the spring leaf and electrically connectingthe contact bus member and bindin post.

6. A fius receptacle comprising a body of insulating material having inits rear face an elongated recess and both a slot for a plug blade and apassage leading from the front face to the recess, a flat metalliccontact busmember disposed in the recess in a plane parallel with theslot and having two reversely bent leaves registering respectively withthe slot and passage, a binding post, and a conductive member extendingthrough the passage and engaging the binding post with its outer end andhooking underneath the adjacent leaf with its inner end.

7. A flush receptacle comprising a body spring leaf integral with theinner edge of 1 the bus member and registering with the passage and aterminal member extending through the passage and engaging the rear edgeof the spring leaf of the contact bus member, in interlocking relation.

8. A flush receptacle comprising a body of insulating material providedin its rear face with an elongated and relatively narrow recessincluding at least one contact chamber deeper than the rest of therecess, the body being also provided in its front face with a slot for aplug blade entering the bottom of the contact chamber at one sidethereof and with a passage for a binding post connecting member leadingfrom its front face to the shallower part of the recess, a metalliccontact bus member disposed flat against one side wall of the recess andhaving at its end on its outer face a contact terminal extending intothe contact chamber and having a laterally yielding part in registerwith the said passage, and a binding post connecting member extendingthrough said passage and engagingthe laterally yielding part andcoacting therewith strip in place.

9. A flush receptacle comprising a body of insulating material providedin its rear face with an elongated and relatively narrow recess havingat at least one end an angular contact chamber deeper than the rest ofthe recess, and provided in its front face with two angularly disposedslots for plug blades communicating with the contact chamber and with aassage for a binding post connecting mem er leading from the front faceto the shallower part of the recess, a metallic contact strip disposedflat against one side wall of the recess and having at its end twoangularly disposed contact terminals extending into the contact chamberin register with the said slots and having a laterally yielding art andcoacting therewith to hold both t e said member and contact strip inplace.

10. An electrical contact device comprising a body of insulatingmaterial rovided in its rear face with a groove an having to hold boththe said member and contact a passage therethrough from the front faceto the groove, a contact bus member disposed in the groove and an angleshaped terminal member bearing with one leg against the front face ofthebody and extending with its other leg into the passage, the busmember and said other leg being shaped to interlock by relative movementof the two members toward each other.

11. An electrical contact device comprising, in combination with thelead Wires. a

' body of insulating material provided with a passage therethrough, astat onary contact member bearing against the rear side of the body andhaving a resiliently yieldable projection extending into the passage,and a terminal member connected to one of the lead Wires and bearingagainst the front side of the body and extending into the passage andhaving a hook member on its inner end engaging underneath said yieldableprojection. I

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

PAUL HARTMANN.

